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Join our tree planting project

A key action in ‘Our Chelmsford Our Plan’ and the ‘Climate and Ecological Emergency Declaration Action Plan’ is to undertake a greening programme to significantly increase the amount of woodland and the proportion of tree cover in Chelmsford through a sustained ten year tree planting campaign.

We have already planted some 14,500 young  trees in  winter 2019/20 and will be continuing with this 10 year planting plan this winter 2020/21.  Planting projects are at various sites selected as part of the overall programme forming part of management plans unique to each site.

Planting takes place between November and March only, with aftercare for at least two following years. Trees are native British species, such as Oak, Wild cherry, Hazel, Alder, Scots Pine and Guelder rose and mixes are selected for each specific site. All young trees are whips, small seedlings, some 2 years old and grown in small pots that establish more easily than large trees. Aftercare includes removal of vegetation directly around each tree, putting down wood chip to act as a weed suppressant and some replanting if necessary.

Planting and aftercare sessions form part of our volunteer project programme, so if you would like to get involved this winter please contact us.

I really like helping towards such an important part of improving the environment in our city, Chelmsford

I have been volunteering with Chelmsford City Council for a number of years. It has been a privilege to work along side such a lovely team of people, with friendships made for life.  I have taken part in many sessions covering a wide variety of schemes. One of the most recent was tree planting. This took place at various sites, Hylands Park, Admirals Park, Chelmer Valley Nature reserve to name a few. We also re visited to check on growth, and weather damage, re staked, weeded and mulched. We always end our sessions with a cuppa and a good old chat. And we leave with an overwelming sense of achievement that we have helped towards such an important part of improving the environment in our city, Chelmsford.  

Carin

 

The sessions were very well organised with everything we needed provided by the team at Parks.

Volunteering to plant trees as part of the Chelmsford City Council’s Greening scheme has been a very rewarding experience for members of the WI in Essex.

Four planting sessions were organised for us three at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and one in South Woodham Ferrers Compass Gardens during the winter planting season.

The sessions were very well organised with everything we needed provided by the team at Parks. We just had to wear appropriate clothing and footwear. Every session started with a briefing on how to plant followed by a constant supply of saplings, mulch and cheerful support provided during the morning by the volunteer leaders. At the end of each session they treated us to hot drinks and biscuits.

Some of our WI members were concerned that they might not be fit enough to take part but everyone was encouraged to go at their own pace and worked together with one person making the T-cut ( no need to dig a big hole) and planting the whip (baby tree) and someone else doing the mulching

“I really enjoyed the morning and no unwanted effects afterwards; I had the best night’s sleep in fact that I’ve had for a long time”

“We both really enjoyed being in the fresh air, planting trees and “doing good” for the environment”

The weather wasn’t always kind, sometimes it was dry, sometimes it was cold and windy and sometimes it was raining but after every session we all went home with a sense of well-being and the satisfaction of having done our bit to fight climate change.

 

Get Involved

If you would like to find out more about our tree planting project, please get in touch and we will contact you shortly.
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